Finding Yourself: Why Become a Doctor

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. Have you ever thought about what you want to spend the rest of your life doing, I mean work wise of course. In today’s time, a person could literally be anything they wanted, like a doctor, lawyer, comedian, scientist etc. The medical field is a common work choice for a lot of people, especially a doctor. Becoming a doctor is in high demand but is not an easy choice, you have a lot you are going to want to think about, from the schooling to the fact they make big diagnosis. The person that chooses to become a doctor is going to go through a ton of school, a lot of stress, and learn a million and one things. The pay for a doctor is constantly on the rise as well, even with the crazy taxes we have to pay. Why become a doctor?

Before you start pursuing medicine as a career path, think about why the person wants to go into the field. First things first, make sure being a doctor is for you. A doctor’s work environment is not for everyone, they are always working with very sick, infectious people. Another thing about Doctors is, they need to be used to interacting with people because they are constantly talking to somebody whether it is a patient, nurse, or a fellow doctor. Communicating with their staff is a big deal so everything gets where it needs to be. Since doctors are responsible for their patients' well-being, this occupation is more demanding than most. That being said, a big thing to keep focus on is that doctors are in charge of diagnosis, so they have to be spot on and very sure of themselves. When a person is a doctor they will have to learn to stay very clean. Doctors work in very sterile environments, Doctors work intimately with the human body, using diagnostic tools and observations to heal illnesses and repair injuries. To perform examinations and surgeries safely, a clean, sterile work environment is required. If having a set schedule is what a person wants in life, then this person might want to rethink the career choice a doctor has to have a flexible schedule, they never know when they are needed they could have an emergency, and stop what they are doing and go help a patient. Last thing a person is going to want to consider is, can they handle telling people they have cancer, or another terminal illness? Being a doctor is great when they are treating colds and other things, but they also have to think of the sad things that come with being a doctor. They will acquire relationships with older people that will die, or a cancer patient that just cannot make it. Some doctors are known to have to see a therapist because of the things they cannot get over, and can’t see if they are the ones that did something wrong. It’s a very big career that requires tons of things, and that’s just in their environment.

Preparing to become a doctor starts in high school, “High school is not too early to start thinking about pre-med. you can prepare academically. While in high school you can go to science fairs/job fairs the pertain to the medical group to get some information on how things go, and what a person will have to do to become a doctor. Maintaining your grade point average is a big thing while in high school, so you can get into a good college and medical school. Once graduated from high school that is where the hard work comes in. College will take quite some time to finish, a person has to first go through four years of undergraduate school. Once they are out of undergraduate school, they will begin a four-year program in medical school. “Medical school consists of four years of medical training and education. The first two years of a prospective doctor's medical school experience are devoted to book study and laboratory work to prepare students for diagnosing and treating illnesses.

Finally, after medical school, depending on what kind of doctor, the person will enter a three to seven-year residency. After they finish medical school, they will have to find the right place that will work for you. The person may want to work in just a family practice where they work Monday through Friday, or they may want to work in a hospital where they are always on their toes and the action never stops. Either one that the person chooses you have to remember all of the elements it takes in each facility.

When a person becomes a doctor, the pay can range on where you start, or where you start. “According to the BLS, the mean annual wage for family and general practitioners is $192,120. With that being said, here is where the sad part comes in, the tax payments. If the person is making two hundred thousand dollars annually, the person will owe federal tax approximately fifty-one thousand dollars, then you will owe FICA (federal insurance contributions act), about sixteen thousand dollars. Next, the person will have to pay the state taxes, which can range from six to nine percent, which comes out to about fifteen thousand dollars. With all the numbers added up, the person will end up paying approximately eighty-two thousand dollars. So, will all the numbers in play the approximate annually income is one hundred and seventeen thousand dollars. Keep in mind that these numbers are constantly changes with the rise of the need for medical attention in the world. This career choice is a good choice if you are going to be on your own. If you have all the utilities that include and approximate to, electricity being one hundred dollars, gas is seventy-two dollars, water is seventy dollars, internet and cable is about one hundred and forty-five dollars and your trash would be fourteen dollars per month. All that together, monthly, is one thousand one hundred and forty-eight dollars. If you include mortgage at seven hundred and thirty-seven dollars a month your annual bill is thirteen thousand seven hundred and seventy-six dollars, which leaves you with about one hundred and three thousand dollars.

As a medical doctor, I have known the face of adversity. I have seen much of death and dying, suffering and sorrow. I also remember the plight of students overwhelmed by their studies and of those striving to learn a foreign language. And I recall the fatigue and frustration felt by young parents with children in need. In conclusion, becoming a doctor is not for everyone. If a person does decide to go down the medical pathway, there is a long pathway to go down to get where they want to be. While the salary may be a great payoff, a person should not enter the field for that reason. Becoming a doctor is a ton of schooling, and a lot of dealing with the public. A person must be excited about medical advances, and love learning new things. A person will be constantly be in faces of scared sick people, that may only need an antibiotic or that needs chronic help. Becoming a doctor is an amazing career choice, and the need for doctors in today’s time is constantly rising with all the new diseases that are surfacing. In other word if you are not like me, and can handle being in charge of major decisions, and can run a whole team on your own this career path is for you. You will be tried and pushed to your limits. Being a doctor is a career choice that can help millions of people if you do the work in school, stay sharp, and push through and become great.